


Game on

by Cuthwyn



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: BAD Jason, Brotherly Bonding, Children just behave, Coffee, Gen, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Sleep Deprivation, Tim just No!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-22 22:17:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6095737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuthwyn/pseuds/Cuthwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One, two, three, four I declare a prank war!</p><p>Or</p><p>Jason finds a more satisfying way to torture Tim. What he doesn't realise though is that Timmy never forgets and Timmy will ALWAYS get even</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jason was known to be a prankster.  Tim was known to be sleep deprived, but also that when he did sleep, he practically entered a coma.

When Jason finally stopped his attempts on Tim’s life the family breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe, just maybe, this rivalry was over and Jason was finally beginning to accept the teen as his brother.  
All was well, until Jason worked out how to override Tim’s security systems.  

At first it was mildly annoying.  Tim woke up to find himself trapped in his bedroom. Until his still sleep deprived mind worked out that the door handle had magically reattached itself the wrong way around.

Cling film appeared on his toilet. Which Tim didn’t realise until he ended up making a puddle on the bathroom floor. Yes, he didn’t stop, he was still half asleep okay? He didn’t work out what was going on until he’d finished and his socks were rather wet.

The shaving foam in the palm of his hand was mildly annoying, as was the baby powder in his hair dryer. Oh and then there was waking up to find his entire room had been plastered in an embarrassing photograph of himself that had appeared on the front page of a magazine last year. It was the morning the cleaner was due round, and now she thought him a complete self absorbed idiot.

It was all rather odd. Tim began to get paranoid. He’d stay up for longer stints because he dreaded waking up to see what had happened to his apartment in his sleep. He had no idea who was doing this to him and all his cameras showed when he played them back was freeze frames of his apartment when the culprit broke in. How were they breaking in? He had no idea. There were no finger prints to be found, he dusted the entire place top to bottom. 

Giving up, Tim decided to just upgrade his security and put an end to the whole fiasco and whoever was messing with him.

Tim fell into bed after patrol. He’d been up for four days straight and he was exhausted. An hour later an alarm clock went off. Grumbling a sleepy, groggy Tim stumbled around his room in a confused daze trying to find it before turning it off and falling back into bed. This happened three more times, each alarm clock hidden expertly somewhere in his room. Each time forced him to delve deeper and deeper into his detective skills and each time he was awoken, he sunk deeper and deeper into sleep deprived insanity. After the fourth Tim threw the offending alarm clock at the wall with a wail of ‘Why?’ Before collapsing back into bed.

‘Tim? Oy Replacement wake up!’ Tim jolted awake and sat bolt upright to be greeted by a camera and Jason’s grinning face. Pointing a finger, the teen ran his other hand threw his hair. 'You! It was all you! You’ve been doing this to me. What is wrong with you, Jason?’   
Chuckling Todd slapped a hand over the teen’s mouth and shoved Tim’s phone under his nose. 'Ssshh, no time for shouty times with Jason. You’re late for a very important date with Daddy.’ 

Eyes widening Tim noticed the time, it was nearly 10.30 am. He was meant to be meeting Bruce at Wayne Enterprises in 15 minutes. Gasping Tim sprung from his bed to the sound of Jason’s cackles to only skid to a halt in front of the bathroom door. He had had about 3 hours of broken sleep, thanks to his bastard of a brother’s alarm clock hiding skills. His mind could not cope with this. 'What’s wrong Timmy Boy? I thought you liked coffee?’

His bathroom floor, sink, toilet and shower was filled with cups of coffee. Seriously, there was no floor visible and how the hell did Jason find enough cups and God damn time to do this? Taking a deep breath Tim turned to his older, insane brother and smiled sweetly. 

'Never mind. I don’t need a shower.’ 'Okay. Good luck driving to work.’ Jason replied with a grin, focusing his camera on the window sill the far side of the bathroom. On it, in between the cups of coffee, were Tim’s car keys, wallet and pass card for Wayne Tower. His laptop was balanced precariously on top of his shower head.

Cackling again Jason refocused the camera on Tim who had sunk to the floor with a hitched sob, blinking a defeated, if slightly homicidal, glare at him.  'Kill me. Please, Jason just kill me and get it over with!’ '  
Aw but Replacement? This is far too much fun. Aren’t you having fun?’   
'You’re just a whole level insane I refuse to compute.’ Turning Tim glared at the coffee cups before crawling over to them. 'Screw this. I’m too tired to care. Screw this and screw you Jason Todd!

Jason watched in stunned silence as the teen began downing the coffee and throwing the cups behind him as he made his way slowly into the bathroom. 'Erm Tim?’ '  
Screw you Jason!’   
'Tim, I er, you do know drinking all that coffee will kill you,right? Buddy?’   
'Well, look who finally won! You did it, you killed me!’ 

Swallowing Jason lowered the camera and dug out his phone. Dialling the only man he knew of who could help him, he watched Tim make his way through the bathroom.  Cup, by, cup.

'Hey B it’s me.’   
'Yeah, yeah I know I don’t call but I fucked up. Like really fucked up B you gotta come fix this.’  
 'No, no it’s worse than a bomb. I- well- shit B I broke Tim!’   
'Like broke, broke Tim. He’s currently sobbing in his bathroom drinking his way through 110 cups of coffee.’   
'No- no B, you really don’t want to know how 110 cups of coffee got into Tim’s bathroom. I made a boo boo okay? Bad Jason, very bad Jason. Now come fix Tim? Please?’


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I felt guilty.
> 
> So here's Tim's revenge.
> 
> Children behave!

Roy opened reluctant eyes, his brow furrowed at the sound of shuffling coming from the living room.  
'For Gods sake.' He mumbled sleepily as he ran a hand down his face and looked over to his right at the cooling, empty sheets and then at the open door a few feet away from them.  
'This is getting ridiculous.'  
All he wanted was one, full eight hours of sleep without having to deal with his partner.  
Was that really too much to ask?

Jason was stood in the middle of the living room clad in just his boxers, poised and waiting. He lifted a hand up when Roy crept in and shushed him.  
'Wait.'  
'What? Jaybird, what are you doing?'  
'The lights. They'll do it again. Just wait.'  
'Come on, Jaybird, please, come back to bed?'  
'No'  
Sighing Roy walked over and took Jason's hands in his and smiled, making sure to keep his voice low and calm.

'Jay, I love you but it's 4 am. There is nothing wrong with the lights. I've checked the electrics, both in the apartment and the mains outside. There is nothing wrong with them.'  
Shaking his head Jason tried to pull away before looking up and scowling at the living room light.  
'No, no I saw it, Harper. The lights were flickering.'  
'Jaybird, you saw me check the electrics, you agreed with me that they were fine.' Pursing his lips Roy caught his wandering eyes and held them with his own. 'Jason, I need, you need, we need to start thinking about -other- reasons why you think the lights are flickering.'  
'I'm not crazy, Harper!'

'No, no I'm not saying that but maybe' Closing his eyes Roy sighed before offering him an empathic half smile. 'Jay your not sleeping. Maybe, maybe you're just having a rough time okay? Come on. Come back to bed?'  
'No!' Successfully pulling himself free Jason glared up at the ceiling. 'Wait, just wait and you'll see the lights flicker. I'm not making this up.'  
Sighing again Roy flopped down onto the couch and closed weary eyes. So here they go again, apparently no one was getting any sleep tonight.

Dick pulled up outside the dilapidated tenements his brother and Roy were currently residing in.  
Roy was stood outside, puffing away on a cigarette before noticing his presence and storming over.  
'I can't do it. I can't. I've tried, Dick, I've tried okay? I haven't slept and he's just getting worse. He's hearing things now and, Christ, I didn't know who else to call? Bruce?'  
Eyes widening Dick shook his head violently.  
'No, just no Roy. Don't call Bruce, never call Bruce. He has the best intentions but no. Remind me to tell you about him trying to talk Tim out of drinking 110 cups of coffee.'  
Smirking Roy shook his head and huffed a laugh.  
'Too late, Jaybird told me.'  
Nodding Dick's brow furrowed and he looked up at the building thoughtfully.  
'Take me to him, Roy.'  
'I warn you, Dude. This ain't pretty.'

Roy disappeared as soon as he opened the door to let in Dick, hollering Jason's name.  
'Jay? Jaybird? No, put down the sledge hammer. For me? Please?'  
Dick quirked an eyebrow at Roy wrestling a sledge hammer out of his brother's hands, who was ranting and raving about lights and music.  
'It's him Roy. I know it is. I just gotta find proof.' Jason replied in what wasn't a sob or an angry yell but somewhere in between.  
Dick swallowed and looked around, the walls all had holes in them, electrical wires pulled out here and there. When Roy told him that Jason had lost it, he really wasn't kidding and damn it all could the man not have swallowed his pride, for once, and called him sooner?

'Jason? Little Wing, it's Dick. Who's doing what to you? What's going on? Talk to me?'  
Walking over Dick folded his arms and cocked his head at his little brother who lunged forwards, coiling desperate hands into his shirt.  
'Big Bird! You'll help me. We gotta go now, find the Joker. He's doing this. It's him it can be no one else. The lights flicker on and off, the TV switches on and off and now there's music, music playing all the time.'  
Nodding slowly Dick rested his hands on top of his brother's and looked up at Roy in bewilderment. Seriously, could he not have rung sooner?  
'The Joker? Jay, he's locked away in Arkham. How could he play with your electrics? Why would he even do that? Think about it rationally, Little Wing, come on, deep breaths.'

'Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you!' 

Jason drawled dejectedly, shaking hands digging into the tangled mop he called hair.  
'It's the song he hears.' Roy mouthed over the top of Jason's head, bringing his arms around to hold his Jaybird. 'It's okay, I'm here, it's okay buddy.'  
'It's on the radio, it's in the shops, it plays at night but when I wake up it stops. The lights flicker. Harper won't believe me. Please believe me Dickie?'  
Sighing Dick took hold of his brother's hand and nodded.  
'I believe you're struggling right now, Little Wing. Come on, come out with me for a bit and let's give Roy some peace and quiet.'  
'No'

'That's not a request, Jason. You're coming with me and we either go for milkshakes or to Arkham. Your choice, Man.'  
Scowling Jason glared at him and set his jaw.  
'You wouldn't dare!'  
One eyebrow raise had the young man groaning and storming off towards the door.  
'Fine. I want a chilli dog too!'  
'Deal.' Smiling over at Roy, who was mouthing a silent 'hallelujah', Dick offered him a salute.  
'I'll have him back by bedtime. If he doesn't sleep, let me know and I'll call in the big guns.'  
'Bruce?'  
'Hell no, Alfred!'

Four hours later Jason stropped back in and flopped down into bed in a huff.  
Raising an eyebrow, Roy put down his book and turned over to look at him.  
'So? How was Dick?'  
'I'm going to kill you.' Jason spat from his pillow sanctuary.  
'That good huh? Please Jaybird, you gave me no choice. This has to stop.'  
Scowling Jason glared at his partner and flung his arms back towards the door.

'He told me it was guilt. About what I did to Tim and the coffee prank. I ain't guilty. Tim left Gotham because Bruce told him to 'stop stressing' and that Tim and I had been 'pulling each other's pigtails for a long time now'. The dolt took it the wrong way. That wasn't my fault. This, the music, the lights, it's real, why would I be guilty over a few cups of coffee?!'  
'Well, 110 is not just a few Jaybird? Maybe Dick has a point? You're the one who broke him, you're the one who called Bruce. Coupled with you're past, I can kinda see why this could be a manifestation of regret. You two were getting along better before Tim ran off?'  
Roy raised his eyebrows and watched silently as Jason frowned before sighing and running a hand down his face.  
'Yeah, maybe, maybe. I do miss the guy, like is he even alive?'  
'Worry about that in the morning Jay. Now hush, go to sleep.'

Roy was out on patrol when Jason woke up. The music was playing again. Frowning he sat up and noticed that all the lights in the apartment were flashing on and off like a damn disco.  
A whimper left his lips, this was real, he knew it was real but everyone thought he was losing it.

That's when he noticed. The song was coming from his phone. Gasping he ran to the living room, phone in hand to find the laptop, the TV, literally every single piece of technology he owned was playing 'Stuck In The Middle With You' on a loop.  
It was like some sort of virus and try as he might Jason could not override it. Every time he attempted it, the song just got louder.  
Sinking to his knees Jason openly sobbed, no one believed him.  
'Stop it, stop it! Joker please, stop it. Please, please.'  
He yelled at the top of his lungs as the darkness enveloped him and he was dragged back to warehouses, crowbars, blood and death.

No one was coming to save him, no one came to save him then either.

Roy stumbled threw their living room window to find Jason's story had been true all along. The lights were going bananas, 'Stuck In The Middle With You' was playing and Jason was a mess, in a ball, on the floor.  
Well, fuck.  
Immediately going to Jason's aid, Roy gathered him up into his arms, rocking and coaxing him back to reality as he fumbled about for his phone.  
'Dick? Yeah, yeah that is what you can hear.Sorry to say it dude but we need the Bat for this one. If you lot don't sort that sick son of a bitch? I fucking will.'

Tim wandered into the Batcave,obliviously munching on potato chips whilst juggling an extra large latte from Starbucks.  
'Hey guys. I'm back, sorry for running.' Swallowing a mouthful of chip Tim blinked. His entire family (minus Bruce and Jason) were surrounding the Batcomputer, Roy and Kori hovering close by, all suited and ready for action. 'Off. Erm, what's going on? Where's B?'

Turning Dick shook his head mournfully and returned to typing away.  
'You finally grace us with your presence, Red Robin? Batman has gone to Arkham. Hood is in his room.' Damian called over not even bothering to look over at his brother, a sneer of distaste on his face.  
'In Arkham?' Tim questioned with wide eyes, it was the only explanation as to why B was at Arkham and Jason missing from the group.

'No, he's sleeping upstairs. The Joker has been torturing Red Hood. He messed with the electrics and played music. The clown made us think Hood was losing it. Bastard. Bats has gone to get a confession out of him.' Roy explained bitterly glaring at the bow in his hand. 'If he doesn't talk.'  
'We will be going to pay him a visit.' Kori interrupted, placing a calming hand on Roy's shoulder.  
'B will get him to talk.' Dick ground out, his typing growing just a little bit more frantic.

Huffing a nervous laugh Tim placed down his snack and raised a hand in a Vulcan salute.  
'Um, I think I may have made a boo boo? Bad Timmy?'  
The silence was deafening, as all eyes turned to look at the teen who shrugged a shoulder and winced at the death glares, Cass especially looked like she was ready to kill him.  
'In my defence, Hood pranked me first? He drove me out of my mind remember that okay? Not forgetting the whole killing me thing?'  
'What!' Roy spat hand tightening on his bow.

'I thought he'd get it. It's obvious? 'Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you'? Me and Hood are the middle kids? The song is about me and him? Has anyone listened to the lyrics? I thought- I thought he'd get that. I knew I broke him, that was the point. I never heard him say anything about thinking it was the Joker?'  
'Heard?'

Roy was loading an arrow now and Tim took one giant step back and raised his hands in surrender.  
'I was in the wall, behind the bed? There's a room that was blocked off? It's common in the old tenements in the Bowery? I'm sorry?'  
Dick blinked at Tim in horror and Roy suddenly went a bright shade of beetroot.  
'Our room? You were in our room!'  
'Well, not exactly?'  
'Red Robin that is perverse. Just when I thought you could sink no lower.' Damian exclaimed shaking his head in genuine wonder.  
'I wore ear plugs?'

The tension hit boiling point and Tim was forced to duck behind Jason's display case to avoid the arrow and Starbolt fired in his direction.  
'You little shit!'  
'How dare you behave so horribly!'  
The rest of the family flew into action to try and stop Starfire and Arsenal from killing Red Robin, whilst Dick made the worst phone call of his life.

'Hey B!'  
'Nightwing, I'm busy.'  
'Erm yeah, about that? You might want to stop wailing on Joker? He's innocent?'  
'What?'  
'Erm, well, remember that thing between Red Robin and Red Hood with the 110 cups of coffee?'  
'WHAT!!!'

The next morning Tim and Jason were both sat in the Batcave in front of a Batman so furious, enraged didn't quite cover it.  
'From now on. There are no more pranks, fighting, name calling or attempts of murder do I make myself quite clear?'  
'Yes sir.' Tim practically squeaked, Jason nodding along, arms folded tightly across his chest as he studied the floor.  
'There's no patrol. Either of you. I find you on the streets, you will regret it. In the mean time, Nightwing introduced me to Tumblr and I found a wonderful tool to help you two get along.'  
Blinking the two brothers looked at each other before their eyes widened in horror.

Alfred and Dick approached carrying a large sweater with the neck cut out.  
'Tim and Jason's good brothers sweater' was scrawled on it with added love hearts.  
Like lightening, both Tim and Jason made a run for the exit.  
They didn't get far.  
No one out runs the Batman.

The photo of the pair of them in the sweater is now pride of place on Bruce's desk in his study.  
The sweater is usually enough for Tim and Jason to think up a not too nice idea, look at their brother and then quickly forget about it.


End file.
